Journalist Najam Sethi has said that the uniformed supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan have started withdrawing their support from the former prime minister.
Speaking in Naya Daur TV programme ‘Khabar Say Aagay‘, Najam Sethi, who is also the founder of The Friday Times, said that the well-wishers of Imran in the establishment have realised that the PTI chief would be uncontrollable if he comes into power again.
He said that everyone knows about the “Guru” of Imran, who used to not only support the PTI chief but make strategies for him. He added that the mentor now himself has started building his relations with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and other coalition parties, asking them to try him for their support.
“Differences have been developed between Imran and his selector. Both are worried from the prospect that [Prime Minister] Shehbaz Sharif would appoint the next army chief of his own choice,” he said.
Najam said that Imran cannot do anything without the help of the establishment, adding that at the time of the no-confidence motion, the “selector”, being moved around, could not handle the motion. He said that the establishment is angry with Imran and it is now thinking to continue working with Shehbaz.
“Imran wants to appoint the next army chief himself as he knows that his popularity will decrease by the next year. If he did not have this fear, he would have sat back and waited for the election,” he said.
“If the PTI calls for a long march at this point and the long march fails, then the party will lost its credibility,” he added.
Talking about the establishment’s relations with the United States, Najam said that the powerful country has not developed any differences with the establishment and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa. “This was not an issue but it was created by Imran,” he said.
“[Gen.] Bajwa is still running Pakistan’s foreign policy and repairing the damage caused by Imran Khan. The PTI chief is now being given a message to go back to the Parliament. The matters would be resolved only when Imran goes back to the Parliament,” he added.
